God Does Speak

No. I did not hear an audible word but I would have to be dense to miss how clearly He speaks though his word and the faithful expository preaching of his word! Last week, Paul was in Romans 12:3 (part of a series in Romans).

A small portion of this fantastic (brutally convicting) sermon was on honesty in story telling. I like to tell stories (I also like to be the center of attention). Why do I embillish the facts when I story tell. One answer: ME ME ME. Maybe if I told the exact truth, I'd wouldn't be as interesting as I'd like people to think I am. What I am I doing here? Thinking of myself more highly than I ought to think! It is also hard to be humble when you are reformed and obviously have doctrine down to a science. (I fear some won't sense the sarcasm so here: That was a joke.) Anyways, that is not the point of this blog.

The point is, today jlf81 continued his series in The Sermon on the Mount. He preached a passage that I had formerly considered to be one of those texts in the Bible that serves no purpose whatsoever (not that I really think there are such passages). The passage was the one on Oaths. I am not going to give a summary here. If is most definitely worth a listen.

I linked this to my convictions about pride from last week. His sermon stressed that we live truthful lives because we represent God. This reminded me of what Paul (apostle) says in Timothy about living above reproach.

Am I honest? Do I act the same way with my with my unbelieving friends as my Christian ones? What am I willing to do to get a laugh, or be the center of attention? Is my life disqualifying my message? If I am a liar (one who tells white lies, embellishes the truth, withholds facts) how can anyone be expected to trust the gospel I present?

******

While giving the context and background of the 'Oaths' passage Julian mentioned how the Pharasees twisted scripture and created their own law which was far from what was intended by God via Moses. A this point he charged us to be in the word so we spot false teaching! I was immediately reminded of the first verse of a great O.C. Supertones song called Escape from Reason. Here it is pour toi. READ IT. Check the rest of the lyrics to this song! As well as Return of the Revolution!

Down down down
That’s the way we’re traveling
Our social fabric unravels
But who pulled the string
Philosophers politicians or the school teachers
Game of life and death and we’re sitting on the bleachers
What happened to our voice
What happened to our influence
Tell me who will listen to uneducated congregants
And why should they when all we have to say is
Bumper sticker doctrine and cute catch phrases
Does this amaza us that no one will take us seriously
We talk big but then we sit in atrophy
Apathy they make comedy of our hypocrisy
Unaware of true biblical philosphy
So we gotta watch what we do and what they see Cause we represent christ plus christianity

I'm Sensing a Theme

Here are a few of the friends that I had the privilege of hanging out with today. What is with all the peace? Even I'm doing it...Good times.
These people seem to be immune to...whatever it is. I almost got one in there at the bottom but was able to abstain and just offer the pointing pinky...

Right and Wrong

I was reminded again tonight, after a heartbreaking loss for the Habs, why I never watch the news. The last time I sat down to watch the news, I mean actually WATCH it, I went away very angry. I think that time it was because of condoms being handed out in ELEMENTARY schools because "kids are going to do it anyways."

Tonight it was just one sentence that got me. There has been investigation going into the impact that the internet has on violent acts by young kids (age 9-14 or so). Some analyst actually said something like, "Well, it is not the internett that is the problem, it is the impact that it can have on kids who don't know the difference between right and wrong."

No! It is you, Mr. Analyst, who doesn't know right from wrong! It is the same people who say that kind of garbage as give condoms to 10-14 year olds! Why is it wrong for little junior to do it when big people don't need to take any responsibility in their sexual activity?

I think the kids are much smarter than their hippy, tolerant, wishy-washy parents! I think these "troubled" kids who "don't know the difference between" whatever actually have a good handle on the arbitrary morality of big people. WHO ON EARTH DID THEY LEARN IT FROM?

******

And I've had friends look at me as if I'd just said 'the leafs are winning the cup next year" when I actually said, "I'm voting for the conservative guy in my riding."

******

There is so much I could say...people wonder why kids kill people...kids are being taught that they are special and that they evolved from apes in the same stinking day. Our hearts a desperately wicked before God pours his irresistible grace on us.

Our country needs the gospel DESPERATELY.

Lets serve our King and share our faith regularly. The Gospel alone can change our country, not protesting gay marriage or abortion as wrong as those things are. How can we expect non-Christians to live by a Christian morality? Well, we can't. Heart change is needed. Dispite what Pastor Wonderful says, a smile does NOT say it all. I have the nicest pagan neighbours in the entire world.

I Preach to myself! Pray for Grace and boldness!

Captain Ahab was a Jerk?

So here I am again blogstalking on a Tuesday morning. I'm sure some of you have read the Tulip Girl blog already but I just had to share this with all of you. I was just going to give you the link but I'm going to copy and paste the whole funny part over here. Is this bad blogger etiquette? Anyways here is the link so you can view some of the comments on this brilliance.

"Oh, crap!" I heard my 8 year old say, as we drove down the road in the minivan the other day. Shocked me a bit. Haven't heard him use language like that before.

His expletive was followed by some banging, and sounds of paper being rumpled, and a book being slammed shut.

"What's going on?"

"Those stupid guys are whalehunting again. And they killed the whale already."

T8 is reading an illustrated version of Moby Dick. T8, my whale lover, budding marine biologist. He has a great sensitivity to injustices, chief of which is whale hunting.

A few days later he told me, "You know what I'd do if I were a millionaire?"

"No, what?"

"I wouldn't be foolish with my money. I'd buy a big house and get a wife and a bunch of kids. But I wouldn't just buy them every toy they wanted. And I'd work at the aquarium. If I couldn't work with the whales, well, then I'd just be the guy that feeds the sharks."

**********

Now THAT is passion!

This kid is the man.

Here I Stand

So, my format just got OWNED (that is, ruined) and I really don't know how or why. This would merely be a hastle if I had any idea how to use HTML. But since I don't, it is sort of a pickle. Luckily (rather, by God's grace) I have a buddy (future Schulich student) who is going to fix my blog and thus hopefully pull my life back together.

It just occured to me how much this very blog was becoming an idol in my life. Paul preached on pride from Romans 12:3 today. So many things were ringing far too true.

I think I need to re-think this blog and its purpose. Pride is the worst enemy because as soon as you start to defeat it, you are immediately in danger of false humility!

If you think of it, pray that I (and you) can better serve our king with our respective blogs.

ps. that's Homer pulling out his hair...what I was doing about an hour ago...

gggrrrrr

something is wrong with my template!
[something is wrong with my template!]

Some Thing is wrong with my Template area...

For some reason the template area on my account does not include anything that is on my blog...what's happening? When I hit the preview button...the blog is all white with weird writing...I am so lost...I am now checking if the posting works...

Christianity

I have heard heretics say, "Christianity is only a crutch." For this to be true, we must have at least one good leg to stand on. This is not the reality of our condition! Rather, our faith is a wheelchair, Nay, a stretcher.

The Kinda' Girl Pour Moi

If I had a girlfriend she would wear this shirt.

And as long as she wasn't going to be leaving the house, perhaps this one.

Psalm 96: A Glorious and Chilling Psalm

I can't stop thinking about this Psalm. I have so often over-looked it because the first few verses seemed so common to me. "Oh sing to the Lord a new song" sounds suspiciously like Psalms 95, 97, and 98. But then, this Psalm goes on.

Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

I have to separate verse 5 just because it is so amazing to me.

5For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Even though it was not indicated, I had to take a Selah there. The Lord made the heavens. There is something to meditate on. Look at that comparison! Think about all of our worthless idols. Then think about the God who made the heavens!

6Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

THEREFORE,

7Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! 8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

God made the heavens, dwells in majesty, lives in perfect holiness. The Psalmist tells us to "bring an offering." I couldn't help but think of Romans 12:1-2. What is our reasonable worship to this God, at which "all the earth...tremble[s]?" Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God...Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

It is the last bit that really got me.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

This Psalm is framed very well. It starts by saying, "Declare his glory" to all. It ends by stating the sure coming of God (Jesus) as judge.

Why are the trees happy? BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GROANING!!!!EVER SINCE THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO FUTILITY (Romans 8:22). They are glad because God is surely coming! But he won't be judging them! The lord doesn't need to judge the trees; they bring him glory every day! They declare is invisible attributes and divine nature (Romans 1:20) as their branches reach toward heaven.

God is coming to Judge the peoples!

I think an ellipses will help to show the power of this Psalm. Check it out.

Declare his glory among the people...for he will judge the world in righteousness.

Let us TELL THE PEOPLES so that they can sing with the trees, the sea, and the rest of the saints when Jesus comes in judgement. This Psalm is a chilling reminder to Declare the power of God for salvation.

Serve your king.

Vaccination and Epiphanies (Part 2)

Here we are, back into my epiphany. If you haven't read Part 1, it might help. It'll take 3 minutes or less.

There are few places in our beloved Scriptures that reveal the mind of God as brilliantly as Romans 9-11. That is why these are some of the hardest passages in the Bible. Paul in the last verses of 11 proclaims his own inability to fathom the mind of God and his delight in the perfection of every aspect of our all-powerful God.

Coming back to WRATH! When was God's wrath more evident than in the events of utter destruction found in the Old Testament? ie. the flood, Sodom and Gommorah, Achan, the guy who tried to stabilize the ark (of the covenant) and was struck dead, ect.
Now this wrath, that was once so often displayed, is being kindled due to the patience of God since he has expanded the Gospel to gentiles.
Now the nature of his wrath is like what Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32. "Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity."

These posts have been sorta all over the place and I don't think I really made a point. I guess this is all still being worked out in my head.

We need to flee from Idolatry. (we can even do it when we worship...another post...)
A way we can steer clear of his is to not "say in [our] heart, 'who will ascend into heaven'...or 'who will descend into the abyss" (Romans 10). CHRIST DID IT ALL.
May we never say that God chose us for some reason other than to bring glory to himself. He said to Israel (my translation), 'It is not because of your righteousness that I brought you into the land but rather because of my anger at sin, my jealousy for my own glory, and my sovereign plan' (Deuteronomy 9).

I don't even know if I've said anything here...but its late now and there is no time for revision.

Serve your King

a MUST read (before I return to the Pentateuch)

Kirk Wellum as posted some exellent thoughts on The DaVinci Code and how Christians ought to approach it! What are the eternal consequences of something like this? READ THIS. It only takes 5 minutes or less!

Vaccination and Epiphanies: Related?

So, I was getting some final vaccination before the ol' trek to North Africa. While I was waiting to be picked up from beside the starbucks at Eglinton and Bathurst I figured it was most appropriate to open up the Torah!...or Pentateuch or whatever. Therein was an epiphany.

Deut 9:3 - Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the LORD your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.

Serious anger. I've heard some heretics say, "the God of the Old Testament is all about judgement but the God of the New Testament is all about love." Well, these passages could make you think so. Check out Deut 13. To the one who worships false gods and leads others to do so must be treated in this way: "...you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. You shall stone him to death

If those aren't enough, look up Achan or Dathan and Abiram or the guy who was caught picking up sticks on the Sabbath!

Here is what I think of all this... (the numbers simply signify my thought process)

1.) God's reason for sending Israel in to destroy other nations was NOT the righteousness of Israel but rather because of the wickedness of the nations (as well as keeping the promise he made to the patriarchs. I don't want to downplay that in anyway). Deut. 9:5

2.) God is (has always been, was in the New Testament, and will always be) most concerned with his own glory! If he were not a complete egoist, he would be an idolator. He must glorify himself for he is the highest good and the purest perfection!

This is evident in the fact that,
a. 4 verse 15 and following forbid idolatry.

b. 4 verses 32 to 40 remind the people that God alone is God who made everything!

c. starting in chapter 5 Moses gives the law that is summed up in one great commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

d. chapter 8 warns the people to remember the great things God has done.

e. chapter 9 reminds the people that they are NOT righteous, or good. But rather stubborn.

f. 12 verse 29 starts another section warning against idolatry.


3.) I sensed a theme here. God has every right to immediately destroy the being that does not bring him glory! Is this not why he flooded THE ENTIRE EARTH?


4.) It was at this point that I turned to Romans (the book that explains everything)...That was when the epiphany climaxed! I'll save this for another day so you don't have to read so much all at once. A clue is that it might have something to do with a recent J.P. book and particular parts of the first chapter in Romans.

ps. you might have to be a Torontonian to get the Bathurst and Eglinton joke...

Joshua Needs...

So, my friend Shelly suggested this. All you need to do is google your first name and "needs" to see what pops up. I googled "Joshua needs" and i got...

Joshua needs a disciple and soul-mate.

Joshua needs a separate special education classroom.

Joshua Needs to Crawl.

Joshua needs to collect information about the kinds of stress the pilots undergo.

Joshua needs some help (as always).

Joshua needs a family who can provide extra supervision and who will establish an environment of strong structure and routine ...

Joshua needs sudden rescue from the matchmaking schemes of his aunt.

Joshua needs patient parents willing to take the time to answer his questions, helping him understand.

Joshua needs to simply keep active like the numerous other fighters stuck in his same situation.

AND MY FAVOURITE...

Joshua needs to go back to second grade for English studies.

Good times...

Caedmon's Call: The Best Christian Band?

I think so! At least from a lyrical stand point. I understand that folk isn't everyone's cup of tea. A while ago The Kerux posted a hymn called "Why Men Don't Preach Sovereign Grace." Truth is often in short supply these days. As my friend Lydia once said, "Our circumstances do not define reality! GOD DOES!" I would suggest, neither do our thoughts, desires, or actions. So, I am at the mercy of a completely sovereign God? YES! You mean I don't control my own destiny? YES, and it is AMAZING! As usual, my friends from Caedmon's Call have expressed this in a better way than I could. I tried to insert the Scriptures where they may have found these truths. SINCE THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT TRUTH IS FOUND!

Before there was time
There were visions in Your mind
There was death in the fall of mankind
But there was life in salvation's design (Ephesians 1:3-10, Acts 2:23)

And before there were days
There were nights I could not see Your face
But the night could not keep me from grace
When You came and took my place

So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of Days (John 1:1, John 8:58)
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made (Genesis 3:15 wasn't God saving the day after his original plan, to have us all happily living in Eden, failed! Numbers 23:19)

Before there was time
You counted the hairs on my head
You knew all the words I've said
And You purchased me back from the dead (Psalm 139, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, The book of Romans)

Before I was made
You searched me and knew my ways
You numbered all my days
And You set forth the steps I would take (Proverbs 21:1, Ephesians 2:10, )

You saved me, You raised me
You saved me, You pulled me from the grave (Ezekiel 36:24-27) Notice the parallel between what I just highlighted and how many times God said "I" in this passage.

I don't really have much more to say. What could I add?

Lets remember who our God is: The one who spoke YOU and ME into existence.

Bold

Mr. Tim Challies recently posted something that I have felt for a long time but couldn't put my finger on. He pointed out that, on a particular Sunday, the word BOLD was his favourite part of the great song I come by the blood. I have a similar feeling for the last verse of the amazing hymn, And can it be?

I can usually control myself for the first few verses, but once we sing that our chains have fallen off and we rise and go forth and follow HIM, I'm already weakening. By the time we get to BOLD I APPROACH THE ETERNAL THRONE, it is too much altogether. Mahaney, when he preached on Gethsemane, spoke of walking on holy ground when you approach such passages of Scripture. This is the only attitude I can think of when we sing such words as,

Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.


or


You are the perfect and righteous God whose presence bears no sin
You bid me come to Your Holy place, how can I enter in
When Your presence bears no sin
Through Him who poured out His life for me, the atoning Lamb of God
Through Him and His work alone, I boldly come.

******

I love the Bible and how it describes our position before God. We are to approach the throne with complete humility and contrition but also with boldness because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

ps. that Mahaney clip is so worth listening to.

Pastor Wonderful

Thought that THIS link would be a nice addition to my last post. Don't worry. There is no reading involved. It is a merely short audio clip, but one that has made me laugh every time I hear it. I hope you like it. I give you: Pastor Wonderful!

This is the history behind this great link. This is also an audio clip.

I love it.

I hope you'll love this too.

Serve your King

ps. if you hate false teachers...check out this post on The Chillcoat's blog.

Death to peace, happiness, and voidfilling Gospel

Case Study: Edna St. Vincent Millay

I love er' but Edna's poetry is a perfect example of the appropriate response to the gospel message that says: Jesus will fill the void in your heart; Jesus died to give your life purpose; Ask Jesus into your heart and he will comfort you and give you joy. WAIT! Are these things true? YES! Is this the Gospel? um...NO. The gospel can be found in Romans 3:21-26. Here is the featured poem:

Spring

To what purpose, April, do you return again?
Beauty is not enough.
You can no longer quiet me with the redness
Of little leaves opening stickily.
I know what I know. 5
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe
The spikes of the crocus.
The smell of the earth is good.
It is apparent that there is no death.
But what does that signify? 10
Not only under ground are the brains of men
Eaten by maggots.
Life in itself
Is nothing,
An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. 15
It is not enough that yearly, down this hill,
April
Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

Analysis

To start with, April (spring) is the time of the year (at least where I live) when everthing comes back to life after a (much too long) winter. Here, the poetic voice claims that the beauty and hope of spring "no longer quiet[s]" her. This poem has strong religious resonances. Her claim about Spring's lack of power is a metaphor for religion's promise of life after death. Spring represents for her the cruel empty promise (in her eyes) that is symbolized by the "opening of leaves." Lines 6-9 show the apparent hope that is in nature. This is not enough to take away what "she knows" (line 5); that we live in a rotting world.

This poem was written in 1921 only a few years after the First World War. Never before had so many died in such a violent and abrupt fashion. It was now clear that humans were capable of completely wiping themselves out. In a world where "life in itself is [now] nothing," she says that religious promises of future bliss are merely "idiotic" and "babbling." It is not unlikely that Edna was familiar with a "gospel" that said that God can comfort you and give you meaning and purpose in these hard times. Maybe she even "tried on Jesus" for a time. But when she found that all of her pain and sorrow still remained, it was an easy choice to reject the gospel.

I previously posted two of her other poems called, 'First Fig,' and 'Grown-Up.' 'Grown-Up' asked the question, "What are we living for?" "Are we living for some future time that we hope will be better?" Parenthood, which could also stand for the afterlife, is here shown to be a big disappointment. Her answer is found in 'First Fig." Burn the candle till she burns out 'cause yuh only get one. Edna's burnt out in 1950 and then she went to meet her creator.

Jesus came to appease the just wrath of God on sin for those who trust in him. The result of this is a transformation that necessarily brings hope and peace (Romans 5:1-5).

Law ---> Grace
LAW ---> GRACE

Serve your King

The Furlough is Ova'

The furlough is over and I am glad to be back. I thought a good way to celebrate would be to share some more REALLY BAD POETRY. I give you, Fred Emerson Brooks. To read an entire poem by this master would be too much altogether so I will only give you a few dumplings of wonder from his glorious verse.

From Foreigners on Santa Claus

The bonnie Scotchman niver doot
Wi' Scots Wauhi!
That Santa Claus goes a' aboot...

We have ze Santa Claus een France
We see him when we get ze chance.


And now, from The Stuttering Lover (this is my buddy Caleb's fav.)

I lu-love you very well,
Much mu-more than I can tell,
With a lu-lu-lu-lu-love I cannot utter;
I kn-know just what to say,
But my tongue gets in the way,
And af-fe-fe-fe-fe-fection's bound to stutter!

When a wooer wu-wu-woos,
And a cooer cu-cu-coos,
Till his face is re-re-red like a tomato,
Take his heart in bi-bi-bits,
Every portion fi-fi-fits,
Though his love su-su-seem, somewhat stuccato

I will wu-worship you, of course,
And nu-never get divorce,
Though you stu-stu-stu-stu-storm in angery weather,
For whu-when you're in a pique
So mu-mad you cannot speak,
We'll be du-du-du-du-dumb then both together.


I love the stuccato love. What is "pique?"